Levein’s time is up...

[Rocky jamboa]

He should have went after the cup final. It would have given a new manager a chance to bring his own players in and get his playing style onto the team.

 

I cant see budge getting rid off him but if we get beat off motherwell on friday, the fan pressure will surely be too much. 

[Hearts of Vladland]

Levein survived a 5-0 defeat to Livi and folk think he get sacked by getting beat 8-0 by Celtic. 😂 He is untouchable no matter how much shit Ann spews out.

[daveyhmfc]

Time to vote with feet if people think he is untouchable. It is the only visible way to make your feelings known. I know I will be staying away until a change is made. Too may people attend games through blind loyalty.

[Boab]

8 minutes ago, wavydavy said:

 

I know what your thoughts are on Stewart you have made that obvious but you never answered my question.

 

I have answered it, mate, read it again. 

If Hartley, or anyone, commented the same way as Stewart, I would say his comments were valid. I disregard Stewart because of his personal issues with CL. I believe it taints his view, again understandable. I can understand and disagree at the same time.

[ford donald]

1 minute ago, Hearts of Vladland said:

Levein survived a 5-0 defeat to Livi and folk think he get sacked by getting beat 8-0 by Celtic. 😂 He is untouchable no matter how much shit Ann spews out.

 

The buck stops with AB,she has to make the change or she should stand down.

[kingantti1874]

6 minutes ago, Hearts of Vladland said:

Levein survived a 5-0 defeat to Livi and folk think he get sacked by getting beat 8-0 by Celtic. 😂 He is untouchable no matter how much shit Ann spews out.

No one at hearts is untouchable, if Ann doesn’t make the hard call then one way or another the fans will make it. 

[Forever Hearts]

3 minutes ago, Boab said:

 

I have answered it, mate, read it again. 

If Hartley, or anyone, commented the same way as Stewart, I would say his comments were valid. I disregard Stewart because of his personal issues with CL. I believe it taints his view, again understandable. I can understand and disagree at the same time.

And when Stewart has praised the very rare good performance? Do you disregard that too? 

[Francis Albert]

Just now, daveyhmfc said:

Time to vote with feet if people think he is untouchable. It is the only visible way to make your feelings known. I know I will be staying away until a change is made. Too may people attend games through blind loyalty.

Yesterday's attendance which I think was even lower than that officially reported (the ground did not look 80% full) suggests people have already begun to vote with their feet.

The cup final performance, despite losing it, was actually I thought a bit of a boost to morale and generated a bit of a feel good factor after over six months of gloom.

That has been dissipated by our start to this season 

[heartandsoul]

9 minutes ago, daveyhmfc said:

Time to vote with feet if people think he is untouchable. It is the only visible way to make your feelings known. I know I will be staying away until a change is made. Too may people attend games through blind loyalty.

This. 

[Thomaso]

45 minutes ago, EH17Hertz said:

It's funny that the levein in brigade aren't showing face today. Wonder what thr excuses will be.

 

It’s the same every time!  They’re frantically trying to think up excuses for Levein which is becoming more difficult with every abysmal performance - but the usual suspects will be on soon with their brand of condescending personal abuse and sarcasm - mixed in with some vital spelling corrections! 😉

[heartandsoul]

Just now, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

 

It’s the same every time!  They’re frantically trying to think up excuses for Levein which is becoming more difficult with every abysmal performance - but the usual suspects will be on soon with their brand of condescending personal abuse and sarcasm - mixed in with some vital spelling corrections! 😉

Agree. The happy clappers are very quiet at present. Even they must now realise enough is enough.

[Boab]

6 minutes ago, Forever Hearts said:

And when Stewart has praised the very rare good performance? Do you disregard that too? 

 Of course.

Time to wrap this up eh !

I’m no even a ginger and i’m this stubborn !

😎

[1971fozzy]

53 minutes ago, Lord BJ said:

It kind of just feels we’re delaying the inevitable.

 

The players change but the performances don’t seem to. The crowd and fans seem to be past breaking point and that will only continue to get worse as frustrations and anger build. 

 

Levein, plus his coaches, have shown nothing in his career to suggest they can turn this around. They have been backed impeccably by the club. Players, pitches, coaches and pretty much everything on the football side  is by his design and the most important part is a shambles 

 

It’s coming, it’s just a question of when and how ugly it will get for everyone I fear ☹️

 

 

 

Agree with all of this.

friday could be very ugly.

[Coco]

I don't think Ann Budge has any intention of removing Levein and MacPhee.  She has stated that the only way he leaves is when he tells her the game is up and what chance of that?  She made the mistake of giving him the football club to do with as he pleased and the current malaise was baked in with that decision.

 

In the last week or so she has said there is to be a review of the disorganised football department.  And yet has sanctioned hiring Gary Naysmith in the bizarre position of loans manager.  Has authorised a further contract extension for a goalie who would not be in demand from another club.  And authorised a 4 year contract for a player with no sell on value - a player who plays in the same position as a number of 'academy graduates' who now find their way to the first team blocked.  Are there no midfield wonder weapons in the 12-15 year olds at the 'academy' who might be worth a game in the 8th or 9th season of Levein's 'rebuilt' academy?

 

A couple of better results and it all blows over.  Maybe Levein will make a 'funny' comment to the press.

[innerjambo]

7 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

 

It’s the same every time!  They’re frantically trying to think up excuses for Levein which is becoming more difficult with every abysmal performance - but the usual suspects will be on soon with their brand of condescending personal abuse and sarcasm - mixed in with some vital spelling corrections! 😉

 

We know who they are too. The happy clapping trolls club, and the Craig Levein fan boys.

[jambonian]

Reading through a lot more of the posts...one thing that I find unbelievable is how many players come to the club, look very decent then after a few months they go downhill. And this isn't just since Craig got the managers job. I could name quite a few players pre an post manager-Levein. For me, and i've said since about 2016, the method of coaching completely nullifies any players' attempts to be creative. I remember matches when Milinkovic would be told what his position was and when he decided to take it upon himself to go against his role, i.e. make runs, switch sides try to link up, i saw Levein talking to him a number of times and Skinny's reaction was to hold his arms up sideways and almost shrug his shoulders at Levein as if to say "what? I am trying to help us win this game"

The coaching is a large part of our under-achievement. You can go back to when Perry Kitchen came in and others around that season. And other players have came and gone since that seem to have suffered similar dips in form. Opposition players, to me,  always look a yard sharper and fitter. Ross County yesterday didn't look any different from when the likes of St Mirren, Livingston, Dundee and others turned up at Tynie to play last season.

I actually think that we've put together a fairly decent squad, much better than some that have come and gone so why did we look like it was the last game of the season yesterday? We play no better now than we did when Cowie and co were around. That, to me is no coincidence. Someone also said earlier in the thread that Stockton was ignored by Levein, whether that's true or not I wouldn't know but he has a history, even as a player of ignoring people as anyone who's read Gary Mackay's autobiography will know. It's not professional. For me, Craig has his favourites in the team line-ups and so many players (Edwards last season is an example) will not be given game time. I thought we'd solved the long term issue with left back last season when Garrucio looked the business. Suddenly Mitchell returns and Garuccio is dropped like a stone. Even Mitchell (seeing as I mentioned him) was never the same player as he was either after the first few months he was around. Perfect example of a common trait. We need a whole new coaching team from basics to first team or we'll still be having this same conversation this time next year, just like the previous two or three.

[Gizmo]

30 minutes ago, Barack said:

Celtic have a DoF, yes. Lennon has next to no say in transfer dealings either.

 

Rangers and Hibs do too. 

 

Aberdeen's set-up is different I believe. The resident Sheep on here if he's reading, could tell us exactly I suppose. 

Let's not get too carried away about Aberdeen. A team who have benefited massively from:

a) Us, Hibs & Rangers MKII being in the championship
b) Spending bugger all on their infrastructure compared to other clubs for years

We will outstrip them turnover wise just as the magnitude and folly of their new stadium hits them hard. 

Truthfully I think I'd send Levein back to where his passion is - the academy and infrastructure but minus the all-overseeing DoF role, so that we keep the background improvements and continuity but also give ourselves the freedom to hire a coaching team. It looks like Budge has alreaady conceded that the scouting team needs to change. There is nothing stopping us changing parts of the structure whilst maintaining the continuity for the academy and the growth in the other areas of the club. 

I won't denigrate Levein after everything he has contributed to this club but my hopes of him turning it around by having the same stunning start as last season hasn't transpired and I really can't see him regaining the momentum that drives a team to success.  

[kingantti1874]

between fans and social media we could end this very easily by ratcheting up the pressure to the point where it is unsustainable, get to the point where It’s out of Ann’s hands. 
 

One minimal disruption  protest utilising this board, Twitter, and  Facebook to get organised  is all it would take. A few thousand people for example not taking their seat until 10 minutes after kickoff for example. 

 

honestly I don’t even think the club would contemplate letting it get to that point. The threat of it would be enough. The fans need to show that the game is up
 

honestly I feel a bit sick suggesting it, I love Craig levein, I’m gutted it hasn’t worked, I blame his acceptance to handover training so readily to daly and McPhee, our form has dropped away massively since his heart attack and he’s stepped back further, I hope he does the right thing and steps back gracefully and can maintain a role of some kind at the club.
 

But enough is enough, we risk undermining the massive progress we’ve made over the past few years. 
 

[Wilson]

I have been pro Levein, a happy clapper if you will. Until yesterday. I'm sorry to say it but we need change.

[Francis Albert]

9 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

between fans and social media we could end this very easily by ratcheting up the pressure to the point where it is unsustainable, get to the point where It’s out of Ann’s hands. 
 

One minimal disruption  protest utilising this board, Twitter, and  Facebook to get organised  is all it would take. A few thousand people for example not taking their seat until 10 minutes after kickoff for example. 

 

honestly I don’t even think the club would contemplate letting it get to that point. The threat of it would be enough. The fans need to show that the game is up
 

honestly I feel a bit sick suggesting it, I love Craig levein, I’m gutted it hasn’t worked, I blame his acceptance to handover training so readily to daly and McPhee, our form has dropped away massively since his heart attack and he’s stepped back further, I hope he does the right thing and steps back gracefully and can maintain a role of some kind at the club.
 

But enough is enough, we risk undermining the massive progress we’ve made over the past few years. 
 

Quite a few of us pioneered this yesterday due to the ticket office shambles!

[wavydavy]

34 minutes ago, Boab said:

 

I have answered it, mate, read it again. 

If Hartley, or anyone, commented the same way as Stewart, I would say his comments were valid. I disregard Stewart because of his personal issues with CL. I believe it taints his view, again understandable. I can understand and disagree at the same time.

 

Bit of a contradiction in my book. I did read it again and you never answered until this post.

 

You are agreeing with Stewarts comments but because he has admitted he dislikes Levein those are tainted. So if you hear the same views from someone else who has not admitted disliking Levein then those are acceptable in your book. You disregard Preston's views because you say he was a crap player. 

 

Levein was a great player but he is now a crap Manager in my opinion.

[jambogaza]

Would love to see him turn this around but I'm struggling to see it. He has a good squad of players to pick from and yet they look awful at the moment. We aren't far off but I fear we are being held back by one dimensional tactics, specifically hammering the ball up to an extremely clumsy footballer and hoping to pick up the second balls. So much talent being wasted at the moment.

 

I think defeat at fir park would seal his fate. If that's the case, Neil McCann should be brought in until the end of the season. As I said, I hope he wins at Motherwell and turns this around but there's now a team short on confidence and a fan base that is getting angrier. It could get very ugly.

[Des Lynam]

[amadjambo]

1 minute ago, jambogaza said:

Would love to see him turn this around but I'm struggling to see it. He has a good squad of players to pick from and yet they look awful at the moment. We aren't far off but I fear we are being held back by one dimensional tactics, specifically hammering the ball up to an extremely clumsy footballer and hoping to pick up the second balls. So much talent being wasted at the moment.

 

I think defeat at fir park would seal his fate. If that's the case, Neil McCann should be brought in until the end of the season. As I said, I hope he wins at Motherwell and turns this around but there's now a team short on confidence and a fan base that is getting angrier. It could get very ugly.

We’ve seen this before. I fear a poor performance and result on Friday will spill into the stands. Hate seeing Hearts fans fighting each other, but that’s what tends to happen in these situations when blood boils and tensions run high.

[Seymour M Hersh]

Why on earth do people think Neil McCann would do a good job for us?

[Agentjambo]

If no win on Friday he will be away.

[Sagan]

54 minutes ago, Hearts of Vladland said:

Levein survived a 5-0 defeat to Livi and folk think he get sacked by getting beat 8-0 by Celtic. 😂 He is untouchable no matter how much shit Ann spews out.

 

He's only untouchable while we're still making money. Losing money due to being in the bottom 6 and/or seeing ticket sales drop will soon make Ann stand up and take notice. 

 

[...a bit disco]

1 minute ago, Seymour M Hersh said:

Why on earth do people think Neil McCann would do a good job for us?

 

Beats me mate.

 

Hell of a take on the current situation really.

[Pasquale for King]

Surely nobody can defend him now?

[jambogaza]

1 minute ago, Seymour M Hersh said:

Why on earth do people think Neil McCann would do a good job for us?

 

I think it would be a decent interim option. I could see what he was trying to do at Dundee, he just lacked the talent. We have the talent at hearts, they just need galvanised at the moment.

[Agentjambo]

1 minute ago, Pasquale for King said:

Surely nobody can defend him now?

Not even Ann 😉

[Forever Hearts]

9 minutes ago, Des Lynam said:

What's happening here? 

[Pasquale for King]

1 minute ago, Agentjambo said:

Not even Ann 😉

Hopefully. The hospitality looked empty yesterday, that might catch her attention.

[Pasquale for King]

6 minutes ago, Agentjambo said:

If no win on Friday he will be away.

He should be away before then, no matter what the score is.

[Agentjambo]

Just now, Pasquale for King said:

Hopefully. The hospitality looked empty yesterday, that might catch her attention.

53 people in the gorgie suite. Would have packed in approx 400 this time last season. Financially we are going to suffer if product on the park is as bad.

[jambonian]

4 hours ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

New song for Tynecastle 

 

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow

 

 

3 hours ago, Saughton Jambo said:

Well I find this kind a funny and I find it kind a sad 

 

3 hours ago, Turkishcap said:

And the next single was Change!

And "The Hurting" will continue unless Ann takes Levein aside and gives him the "Mother's Talk" because we won't be "Head over Heels" or indeed, "Sowing the seeds of Love" with the club anytime soon unless she does. "I Believe" the only way to improve our fortunes is, as the above poster said, "Change". If Ann was to read this i'd say to her that she's not a "Woman in Chains" and, as a business woman, it's not "The way you Are" to let things carry on like this. If you let it continue our league position will be "Laid so Low & (Tears roll(ing) down)" is inevitable. All everyone at the club wants is to be proud of the team and to "Shout" and encourage the players on the pitch. My "Advice to the young at Heart(s)" is that whoever a new manager would be, stick in, develop and improve. If the younger players are as good as we're told, they'll get their chance with a potential new style of coaching once Craig leaves. Aye it's a very, very "Mad World" being a supporter of the club right now.

[Boab]

18 minutes ago, wavydavy said:

 

Bit of a contradiction in my book. I did read it again and you never answered until this post.

 

You are agreeing with Stewarts comments but because he has admitted he dislikes Levein those are tainted. So if you hear the same views from someone else who has not admitted disliking Levein then those are acceptable in your book. You disregard Preston's views because you say he was a crap player. 

 

Levein was a great player but he is now a crap Manager in my opinion.

 

Pretty much it.

Unlike many on here, i’m not looking for approval. Don’t give a shit. I’ve never disagreed with your last sentence. 

[Boyces beard]

Always been pro Levein but thats me had enough now. Its the manner of the performance yesterday that cant be accepted. We were second best for 90 mins against a newly promoted team. I have no question in my mind we have a squad capable of challenging for a European place this season and credit has to go to Levien for the players he has brought in this summer. However i think we need a new manager with fresh ideas to get the best out of our current crop of players. I would like Craig to remain at the club to oversee the youth accademy project he has built but in no way should he have any say in the running of the 1st team or match day tacticts. Getting someone in now should be a priority for the club and it would help to unite a divided fan base and bring back the feel good factor to our club.

[Alex Kintner]

Yesterday was a strange day. Headed off to the game full of excitement. Even more enthused when I saw the starting line-up. On paper the most attacking team we’ve put out for two years and was buzzing for kick-off.

 

90 minutes later I was the complete opposite. By full time I was a mixture of deflated and irate and didn’t even feel like joining my mates in the pub afterwards. Just wanted to get home to my wife and newborn, put things in perspective and forget the game even happened.

 

The remaining confidence I had in Levein was massively damaged by that performance yesterday and his post-match comments made it worse. He has the first round of fixtures to convince me again that he deserves to stay in the dugout. I fear that after our next two matches he’ll have lost far too much of the support and Ann will have no choice but to take action.

[Haringshairband]

52 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

 

It’s the same every time!  They’re frantically trying to think up excuses for Levein which is becoming more difficult with every abysmal performance - but the usual suspects will be on soon with their brand of condescending personal abuse and sarcasm - mixed in with some vital spelling corrections! 😉

I'm not a happy clapped or pro Levein but posters on here really need to stop this one-upmanship. It's pretty boring. Are you happy to be proved correct that Levein is not the man for the job? As that means you're happy that we are shite.

[Getintaethem]

 I think Levien went for broke yesterday and put, what he believes are, his eleven best players on the pitch.  Even then it spectacularly back fired on him.  What a shambles we are that only half our team are anywhere near fit after preseason and the league cup groups.  Don't get me wrong, some of these players will improve over the coming weeks once they get match fit.  But the whole set up was wrong, and the tempo and tactics are awful.

 

   Naismith left midfield?  Why?

 

   Putting Henderson on?  WTF???

 

we were slow and lacked any urgency from the first minute until the last.  We created no real chances of note, a couple of tight angled efforts from Washington was about all we could muster.

 

  Even when we do get decent crosses in, there's never anybody there as we have no one with a natural striking instinct (with the exception of Naismith, who way played at left mid).  It's frightening how negative our coaching team are.  This isn't something new, it's been happening for a long, long time now.

 

  We have several good players, but they way Levien sets them up and plays them out of position causes the problems that were so apparent yesterday.

 

  He should have gone months ago.  I don't buy the train of thought that he should go back upstairs or run the academy.  We need a whole new coaching set up in, that aren't influenced in anyway by him.

[Thomaso]

46 minutes ago, innerjambo said:

 

We know who they are too. The happy clapping trolls club, and the Craig Levein fan boys.

 

Yup there are about a dozen of them on here - like to think of themselves as the JKB elite. 

Stand by they’ll be on with their usual shite shortly......

[gedster]

2 minutes ago, Haringshairband said:

I'm not a happy clapped or pro Levein but posters on here really need to stop this one-upmanship. It's pretty boring. Are you happy to be proved correct that Levein is not the man for the job? As that means you're happy that we are shite.

Ridiculous post......It means we're unhappy that the happy clappers accept without question the actual fact that we are shit, absolutely bullshit this year and for some considerable time

[Thomaso]

2 minutes ago, Haringshairband said:

I'm not a happy clapped or pro Levein but posters on here really need to stop this one-upmanship. It's pretty boring. Are you happy to be proved correct that Levein is not the man for the job? As that means you're happy that we are shite.

 

Sorry but some of the “one-upmanship” and personal abuse dished out by a few JKB Levein lovers to anyone on here who has had enough of Levein’s brand of football deserve some back! It works both ways!

Am I, and countless other Hearts fans, happy that our team is failing miserably???? Please just don’t!!!!

[Thomaso]

6 minutes ago, gedster said:

Ridiculous post......It means we're unhappy that the happy clappers accept without question the actual fact that we are shit, absolutely bullshit this year and for some considerable time

 

Exactly!!!

[Romulus]

Is he not away yet? Sigh.......

[Thomaso]

9 minutes ago, Getintaethem said:

 

 

  He should have gone months ago.  I don't buy the train of thought that he should go back upstairs or run the academy.  We need a whole new coaching set up in, that aren't influenced in anyway by him.

 

This is the big issue.

Budge won’t sack him and she will come out with some crap that he is now moving upstairs as one of our fantastic young coaches is ready to step up.

Nothing will change as long as Levein remains at the Club with his negative hand on the tiller!

[Haringshairband]

8 minutes ago, gedster said:

Ridiculous post......It means we're unhappy that the happy clappers accept without question the actual fact that we are shit, absolutely bullshit this year and for some considerable time

 

2 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

 

Sorry but some of the “one-upmanship” and personal abuse dished out by a few JKB Levein lovers to anyone on here who has had enough of Levein’s brand of football deserve some back! It works both ways!

Am I, and countless other Hearts fans, happy that our team is failing miserably???? Please just don’t!!!!

Well I'll just leave you both to your childish revenge posts. The "happy clappers" were wrong just leave it at that. It's not exactly a crime to support your club.

[Werner Herzog]

2 hours ago, wavydavy said:

 

Are you not guilty of the very same thing as you accuse Stewart of by coming out with this sort of comment that I have highlighted.

 

There may be no love lost between both of them but as other posters have said it's hard to argue with what he is saying about Levein.

 

I listened to him on Sportsound yesterday on my way home from the game and I agreed with everything he said and I also agreed with Allan Preston who was on before Stewart.

 

If truth be known the master of the excuse is rapidly running out of them.

I concur. Stewart was a charlatan of a Hearts player & Levein's commitment/contribution to the club over the decades cannot be questioned. However, that doesn't change the fact that his analysis of the current situation is completely correct.

 

I will always hold Levein in high regard for the player he was, the manager he was in his first spell, the work he has done in rebuilding the club post-administration & for steadying the ship after the Cathro debacle. But unfortunately, the evidence strongly suggests that he is not the man to take the first team forward & make us a credible shout for a top 4 finish. The style of play, the results since last October & the individual improvement of the players (or lack of) all point to this conclusion.

[Jocam2325]

I thought that we should give Levein until December. 

 

I thought and still do, that we had recruited decent players. 

 

I thought after our brief comeback at Aberdeen that there were definite signs of improvement. 

 

I thought after yesterday that it was still last season and nothing had changed.  I think we need change and we need it now. I agree with others that at least in the short term we should go for Robbo.  Levein has lost credibility. He has lost the goodwill and support of a large section of the fanbase. He should do the right thing.   I expect he won't.